May 16, 2022 | Arts / Entertainment

Garrett Clayton harassed on set of ‘King Cobra’

Actor Garrett Clayton's big break came in 2016 when he was cast as porn star Brent Corrigan/Sean Paul Lockhart in King Cobra.

In the movie, gay porn producer Stephen battles two rival producers over the rights to underage porn star, Corrigan, with deadly results.

Of course, the movie is based on real life events. In 2007, Bryan Kocis was killed by porn stars and wannabe producers Harlow Cuadra and his partner Joseph Kerekes.

Clayton recently opened up about his work on the film, noting that the experience wasn't always positive.

“While working on Cobra, I wish I would have stood up for myself more in a couple of circumstances,” he told Queerty. “I’ve always had trouble doing that out of fear. Whether it’s fear of rejection or fear of upsetting people. I’ve had to make peace with the fact that no matter what I say, somebody is going to be upset.”

He continued: “I was getting blasted online. People were saying, ‘Here’s another straight guy taking a gay role.’ And it was everywhere! The media was poking fun at me for not being out, and it was A LOT. I wish I could have, or would have, stood up for myself in a better way. But it was also a hard position to be in because I wasn’t publicly out at the time.”

Abuse was not limited to online trolls. He was also harassed on set.

“Most of [the people on set] were respectful, but some of them really got to me. At one point during a shoot, I was on the couch with two men on either side of me, and they started making jokes about what a slut I was. They’re like, ‘this isn’t his first time.’ I felt like they were talking through me. It really got to me, I ended up leaving the room. They just wouldn’t stop saying such nasty horrible things right through me as if I wasn’t sitting right there.

“The movie, I guess, made some people feel like they had permission to either say or do hurtful things. That was such a big eye-opening experience because a lot of my girlfriends have told me men have treated them this way. I’m not saying I understand the female experience completely, but this was probably the closest I’ll get to it.”

Brent Corrigan

When the movie came out, Corrigan was quick to dismiss it.

“No [truth] telling about it," he tweeted. "Not approved by me. It tells a story with contempt for queer culture & mockery for porn.”

As for Clayton, he has been able to establish himself as a successful actor. Now out, he married screenwriter Blake Knight in 2021.